The present invention relates to a battery module mounted with an overcharge preventing device, and an overcharge preventing device for a battery module. The battery module mounted with an overcharge preventing device of the present invention includes: a battery cell including a first battery cell and a second battery cell, which are spaced apart from each other; and an overcharge preventing device inserted and disposed between the first battery cell and the second battery cell, and configured to block power supplied to the battery cell when the battery cell is expanded according to overcharge, in which the overcharge preventing device is configured as one module separately from the battery cell, and is replaceably disposed between the first battery cell and the second battery cell, which are spaced apart from each other.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A battery module, comprising: a battery cell comprising a first battery cell and a second battery cell spaced from the first battery cell; and an overcharge preventing device configured to block power supplied to the battery cell when the battery cell is expanded due to overcharge, wherein the overcharge preventing device comprises a frame disposed between the first battery cell and the second battery cell, a first plate disposed in the frame and contacting the first battery cell, a second plate disposed in the frame and contacting the second battery cell, a bus bar disposed on the first plate, and a cutter disposed on the second plate and configured to cut the bus bar in response to expansion of the battery cell.
2. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein: the bus bar is disposed at an inner side of the frame, and comprises one end connected to the first battery cell and another end connected to the second battery cell to make the first battery cell and the second battery cell be electrically conducted.
3. The battery module of claim 2 , wherein: the first plate comprises a first surface contacting the first battery cell, and a second surface on which the bus bar is seated; the second plate comprises a first surface contacting the second battery cell, and a second surface facing the second surface of the first plate with the bus bar interposed between the second surface of the second plate and the second surface of the first plate; and the cutter is formed on the second surface of the second plate, and is configured to move towards the bus bar to cut the bus bar in response to expansion of the battery cell.
4. The battery module of claim 3 , wherein: the frame comprises an insertion hole passing through the frame; the first plate and the second plate are inserted in the insertion hole and spaced apart from each other inside the insertion hole; and the first plate and the second plate are configured to deform in a direction in which the first plate and the second plate face each other, in response to expansion of the battery cell.
5. The battery module of claim 4 , wherein: the frame comprises spacing protrusions extending inside the frame in the insertion hole; and the second surface of the first plate and the second surface of the second plate are seated on the spacing protrusions and spaced apart by the spacing protrusions.
6. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein: the first plate further comprises seating protrusions; the bus bar is seated on the seating protrusions and spaced apart from second surface of the first plate by the seating protrusions; and the cutter is disposed between the seating protrusions.
7. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar comprises a weak part comprising a small width in a movement direction of the cutter.
8. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar is fixedly coupled to the first plate.
9. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein: the second plate further comprises reinforcing ribs and a deformation part formed in a center part of the second plate at which the reinforcing ribs are not disposed; and the cutter is formed at the deformation part.
10. The battery module of claim 1 , further comprising: a first cover disposed at an external side of the first battery cell; and a second cover disposed at an external side of the second battery cell, wherein the first cover and the second cover are configured to restrict expansion of the first battery cell and the second battery cell, respectively, such that the first battery cell and the second battery cell expand towards the overcharge preventing device, during expansion of the battery cell.
11. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first plate, the second plate, and the cutter are formed of an insulating material.
12. An overcharge preventing device for a battery module, which is disposed between a first battery cell and a second battery cell of a battery cell in the battery module, the overcharge preventing device comprising: a frame disposed between the first battery cell and the second battery cell; a first date disposed in the frame adjacent to the first battery cell; a second plate disposed in the frame adjacent to the second battery cell; and a bus bar disposed on the second plate at an inner side of the frame, and comprising one end connected to the first battery cell and another end connected to the second battery cell to make the first battery cell and the second battery cell be electrically conducted, wherein the bus bar is configured to be cut by deformation of the first plate due to expansion of the battery cell.
13. The overcharge preventing device of claim 12 , wherein: the first plate comprises a first surface configured to contact the first battery cell, and a second surface on which the bus bar is seated; the second plate comprises a first surface configured to contact the second battery cell, and a second surface facing the second surface of the first plate with the bus bar interposed between the second surface of the second plate and the second surface of the first plate; and a cutter formed on the second surface of the second plate and configured to move towards the bus bar to cut the bus bar in response to expansion of the battery cell.
14. The overcharge preventing device of claim 13 , wherein: the first plate comprises seating protrusions protruding from the second surface of the first plate; the bus bar is seated on the seating protrusions and spaced apart from the second surface of the first plate by the seating protrusions; and the cutter is disposed between the seating protrusions.
15. The overcharge preventing device of claim 13 , wherein: the bus bar further comprises a weak part configured to be cut by the cutter; and the weak part comprises a small width in a movement direction of the cutter.
16. The overcharge preventing device of claim 13 , wherein: the second plate further comprises reinforcing ribs and a deformation part formed at a center part of the second plate at which the reinforcing ribs are not disposed; and the cutter is formed at the deformation part.
17. The overcharge preventing device of claim 13 , wherein the first plate, the second plate, and the cutter are formed of an insulating material.
18. The overcharge preventing device of claim 12 , wherein the bus bar is fixedly coupled to the first plate.
19. The overcharge preventing device of claim 12 , wherein: the frame comprises an insertion hole; the first plate and the second plate are disposed in the insertion hole and spaced apart from each other inside the insertion hole; and the first plate and the second plate are configured to deform in a direction in which the first plate and the second plate face each other, in response to expansion of the battery cell.
20. The overcharge preventing device of claim 19 , wherein: the frame comprises spacing protrusions extending inside the frame in the insertion hole; and the second surface of the first plate and the second surface of the second plate are seated on the spacing protrusions and spaced apart by the spacing protrusions.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 22, 2015
June 6, 2017
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